Page 3 of Sinfully Loved

I rose, simply to hold a higher position than he. "Are you sure you want to threaten your boss's wife, Taddeo? Something tells me that wouldn't end well."

I didn't even have to look at Emilio's face to see his anger. Taddeo Santoro would have been dead long ago if it wouldn't cause so many problems to kill a man from your own ranks.

"Dario, it is, then."

I snorted. How far would he go with his demands? "Sorry, he's recently joined the claimed men, too."

Taddeo looked anything but enthusiastic when his gaze wandered from Dario, who had shrugged his shoulders with a grin, back to me. I didn't believe he would dare to ask, but I was happy to be proven wrong.

Waiting, I looked at my brother.

Emilio cleared his throat. "I can find her a man outside the family."

"No," growled Taddeo."He'smarrying her. His wife is dead, so there's no reason to deny it."

I could think of thousands immediately, but I certainly wouldn't discuss them with him. A deathly silence had fallen in the small office, so I took the opportunity to move closer to Taddeo.

Before Emilio could say anything in response to his arrogant demand, I grabbed Taddeo by the collar and yanked him out of his chair so his feet dangled above the floor.

I forced out a smile as I stared into his eyes. "You have five seconds to reconsider."

Sweat broke out on Taddeo's forehead. He fidgeted with his legs but did not try to free himself from my grip.

Dario took a few steps toward us. He probably already had his knife out and was thinking about stabbing Taddeo here and now. Simply eliminate the problem before it really became one.

Taddeo shook his head. "I'm sticking with it," he choked out. "Marry her, or watch me systematically destroy you. "

I didn't plan to ever marry again. And when it came to saving and protecting women, concerning violent men, that was certainly not my favored option either.

Growling, I narrowed my eyes and let him go without warning. "Fine. I'll do it."

Even if it was only to free her from his clutches, once she was my wife, I could find her a new house, let her move in, and she could go on with her life as she pleased. I wouldn't force her to spend time with me.

Taddeo pointed his index finger at me. "I know exactly what's going on in your head, de Archard. There will be rules. A contract. I need a male heir, and I certainly don't want it to seem like she's just your little whore. The wedding will take place promptly, and she will live with you. No bullshit. If I notice something is not right, my earlier threat applies. Besides, I want proof the marriage is consummated."

I took a deep breath before raising my arm and pointing to the door. "Out. Now. Otherwise, I don't care what it costs me to kill you right now."

"The deal stands," Taddeo reminded me on the way out. "If nothing happens in the next few days…"

The rest of his statement was lost in the void as Dario let the door slam behind Taddeo as soon as he left the office.

"Were you serious? You want to marry Amedea Santoro?" Dario asked, throwing himself on the couch and staring at me curiously.

"There is no question of wanting," I growled. Unlike him I knew when it was better to fulfill one's duties and choose reason rather than anger.

I would also much prefer to gut Taddeo like a pig, but that would not be wise.

"We'll make sure she can return to her old life," Emilio said. That was the simplest solution.

Marrying her, if it meant being able to give back the freedom her father had taken from her, cost me nothing. After all, I didn't plan to ever put myself in any woman's hands again.

"That was my plan, too," I muttered. "You knew you were overriding her father's wishes when you hid her from him."

Emilio nodded. "I didn't expect him to succeed in finding her. She was well hidden. Or do you know the location of the house?"

"Of course not. Her existence wasn't even on my radar, to be honest." But that was probably because I was only interested in the family's affairs in exceptional cases, and just because I had heard her voice once, you couldn't say that I knew her.

I preferred to stay in my villa near Tramonti. Remote from people, in a valley known for its vineyards. It was enclosed by the Lattari Mountains and had many forested areas to offer solitude.

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